懐(なつ)く

なつく
verb (godan)
to become attached to; to take to; to warm up to
自動詞 intransitiveemotion
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present懐(なつ)く懐(なつ)かない
Present polite懐(なつ)きます懐(なつ)きません
Past懐(なつ)いた懐(なつ)かなかった
Past polite懐(なつ)きました懐(なつ)きませんでした
て form懐(なつ)いて懐(なつ)かなくて
ている present懐(なつ)いている懐(なつ)いていない
ている polite懐(なつ)いています懐(なつ)いていません
ている past懐(なつ)いていた懐(なつ)いていなかった
ている past polite懐(なつ)いていました懐(なつ)いていませんでした
Conditional ば懐(なつ)けば懐(なつ)かなければ
Conditional たら懐(なつ)いたら懐(なつ)かなかったら
Volitional懐(なつ)こう—
Volitional polite懐(なつ)きましょう—
Potential懐(なつ)ける懐(なつ)けない
Passive懐(なつ)かれる懐(なつ)かれない
Causative懐(なつ)かせる懐(なつ)かせない
Imperative懐(なつ)け懐(なつ)くな
1. to become attached to; to take to; to warm up to
To develop affection and trust toward someone, becoming comfortable in their presence. Most commonly used for animals becoming tame and friendly with a person, or for young children warming up to an adult.
この猫(ねこ)はすぐに懐(なつ)いた。
This cat warmed up to me right away.
近所(きんじょ)の子(こ)どもが私(わたし)に懐(なつ)いて、毎日(まいにち)遊(あそ)びに来(く)る。
The neighborhood kid has taken a liking to me and comes to play every day.
野良猫(のらねこ)にエサをあげていたら、だんだん懐(なつ)いてきて、今(いま)では膝(ひざ)の上(うえ)に乗(の)るようになった。
I kept feeding a stray cat, and it gradually warmed up to me — now it sits on my lap.

Usage

Primarily used for animals and small children, not for adult-to-adult relationships. The subject is the one becoming attached (the animal or child), and the person they warm up to is marked with に.

Pattern: [animal/child]が[person]に懐(なつ)く

Common collocations

  • 猫(ねこ)が懐(なつ)く (a cat warms up to someone)
  • 犬(いぬ)が懐(なつ)く (a dog takes to someone)
  • 子(こ)どもが懐(なつ)く (a child becomes attached)
  • すぐに懐(なつ)く (to warm up quickly)
  • なかなか懐(なつ)かない (to not easily warm up)

Similar words

  • 慣(な)れる: to get used to — broader; about becoming accustomed, not necessarily affectionate
  • 甘(あま)える: to act spoiled, to be clingy — the behavior that follows after 懐(なつ)く

Related Words

Related: 慣(な)れる (to get used to)
Related: 甘(あま)える (to act spoiled)
general
Added 2026.3.18 11:06 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
17000/17463_natsuku